Eggplant is another one of those illustrious vegetables of summertime. Grilled, sautéed, fried, or baked, eggplant is about as diverse as it is surprising. The reason we find it surprising is that hidden within that lovely deep purple exterior are some very awesome health benefits that often go overlooked. In addition to containing fiber, B vitamins (including folate), potassium, magnesium, and even tryptophan, the purple skin of the eggplant contains an interesting and potent antioxidant called nasunin.
Nasunin is known as a free radical scavenger and also as an iron binder. Too much iron in the blood is not good for your health and is related to an increased risk for heart disease and cancer. So if elevated iron is a problem for you, you may want to consider adding eggplant to your diet.
Animal and in vitro evidence also suggests that eating eggplant may be beneficial for your immune system, for your cholesterol levels and as a preventive measure against cancer.
Vegetarians have been choosing eggplant for years as a delicious burger alternative and in celebrated vegetarian dishes like Baba Ganoush, which is a fantastic pureed eggplant dip. It is also a very popular vegetable in European cuisine.
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